The President
The President (The office of the president, VP and the State Department have been completely abolished by 5020 OTT) The President of the United Stars of the Galaxies was an elected government official and office. The position and duties of the President have changed over the millennia. It was at first a rather important post and carried much power and decision making responsibilities. It also was a distinctive Terran form of government official. Until 5000, the Citizens of the United Stars of the Galaxies would elect a President and Vice President every eight standard yearsIn 5000, the office of Union VP was eliminated as a result of an Constitutional amendment initiated by an Assembly decision. The duties of the VP with the exception of heading the Foreign Affairs Council are now observed by the Speaker of the Assembly. Foreign Affairs is now handled by the Chief Foreign Affairs.. With the elimination of the office of the Vice President, the elections are now restricted to the office of President. Candidacy and Election Candidates may come from everywhere and anyone can apply for the job. Each candidate must collect the signatures or endorsement of at least 0, 1 percent of all Union Citizens to become a Presidential Candidate. Once the individual has passed that hurdle he or she takes part of 12 debate sessions and 12 introduction sessions. These 24 events are the only form of campaigning allowed. All candidates become the same exposure and the same time and after each debate a Pre –election takes place among all Union Citizens that watched / listened to the debate / event. The candidate with the least responses is eliminated. After all 24 events have taken place the remaining candidates stand for election and one of them is elected President and until that office was eliminated in 5000, the runner up became Vice President. Every decade the process of governing the Union via the Assembly becomes more refined and via their representatives or via direct issue votes, citizens partake directly in the process of government decisions and the Presidents role and power has greatly diminished over the centuries and is now primarily a representative figure. Presidential Powers While the presidential powers had been gradually been reduced since the presidency was first put in place - with a notable exception of the time of the Peace Hawk Movement in which some of the presidential powers lost in the previous centuries were restored - in 4928 the office of the president still had approximately 70% of the powers it originally had. When the president at the time was revealed to be a Kermac Agent that provoked massive changes. The position of Commander in Chief was removed from part of the responsibilities of the president and made into a military rank only effective after being so declared by the Assembly at time of war or military crisis. The first and only individual to hold that rank is Admiral Stahl. In addition, over half of the remaining duties and responsibilities were stripped from the presidency. The president declares Wars or issues statements but not without being directed to do so by the Assembly. The office is mostly symbolic in character and only because 79 percent of all Union Citizens voted to have a president, the office remained until 5018 OTT when all political parties, the office of the president and all elected posts, except that of the Speaker of the Assembly was abolished. The Assembly and the Citizens of the Union lead and do not need leaders 3 Future It is conceivable that future decision of the Union Citizens eliminates the office and positionThe feeling amoung political analists that the office of President may be eliminated in the future became stronger after the Constitutional Admendments of 5000 which eliminated the office of Vice president.. Notes 3 Officially there are no leaders, but there are voices that are listened to, and are more influential than others. By 5030 there are the well established "Wise men of the Assembly", Mothermachine, Richard Stahl, the Klack Queen and of course the Narth Supreme.Category:Society Category:Diplomacy & Policies Category:United Stars of the Galaxies